Medical Oncology

Medical Oncology has a long and rich tradition of excellence in clinical care, research, and training in oncology at Yale School of Medicine and the Department of Internal Medicine. Our faculty brings the finest patient care and clinical research to our many programs through their work in Yale School of Medicine and Yale Cancer Center’s research labs and at Smilow Cancer Hospital and its regional sites. The physicians, scientists, and staff arecommitted to advancing the science and practice of medical oncology by understanding the molecular basis of the disease and translating these advances to our clinics through innovative clinical trials.

In the history of cancer treatment, Yale is perhaps best known as the institution where cancer chemotherapy and the entire field of cancer drug development were discovered. The very first cancer drug was administered here in 1942. In 1953, Yale created the first department of pharmacology, a precursor to the Section of Medical Oncology and Hematology, to focus on cancer drug development and treatment. Yale Cancer Center became an inaugural National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974 under the National Cancer Act.

The section’s nationally and internationally renowned faculty are leaders in their areas of research and clinical expertise and are committed to advancing the science and practice of oncology by understanding the molecular basis of disease and translating basic discoveries to the clinic.